Chained
by Baileys
Summary: A tag/epilogue to the season 2 episode Chained.
1. Chapter 1

"Really liked him."

"Yeah, yeah I can see that." Gibbs said with an almost grin as he relaxed his stance.

Tony couldn't muster a smile for his boss, even though Gibbs finally being there to back him up was the moment he'd been looking forward to since things went haywire.

Gibbs holstered his gun and stepped closer to the car. "You okay?"

"I think so." Tony spoke after a brief pause while staring at the gun, still warm and smoking in his hands.

"Yeah, okay." Gibbs sighed and offered his hand.

Tony let Gibbs pull him up out of the car, but once on his feet Tony didn't let go of his boss's palm.

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs groused and tugged, but Tony still didn't release his grip. "Tony!"

Feeling like all the blood had suddenly vacated his head Tony fought to remain conscious. It was like a bubble inflating behind his eyes, getting bigger and bigger until he couldn't hear Gibbs yelling his name anymore.

"Damnit… DiNozzo!" Gibbs grabbed Tony the minute the hand holding his went slack and lowered him to the ground.

Tony lay flat on the cold concrete floor and stared sideways at the cars blood stained window. He could feel Gibbs' hands patting him down searching for injuries. The thought, coupled with the sensation, made him giggle.

"Tony?"

"I'm good boss."

"Well you don't look it."

Tony rubbed a sore spot on his neck and then turned his head from the view of the window to look at Gibbs.

"I think this might be mine." Tony replied dazedly pulling his right hand away from his neck and showing Gibbs his blood covered palm.

Gibbs' eyes widened, "he cut you?"

"Apparently," Tony looked at his hand and re-touched the wet spot on his neck, "I felt a pinch but..."

Tony could see the confused look Gibbs was giving him and got the impression he wasn't making any sense. Not that he often did make sense, but now, at the present moment, not making sense wasn't the right thing to do. He had tried and failed to do that. He'd killed a man, the opposite of the right thing.

"DiNozzo…" Gibbs shook his shoulder, "Hey!" Gibbs slapped him. "Tony?"

The softness of the last word, his name, forced Tony to see who wanted him. All he saw was Gibbs.

"Boss you alright?"

"Am I alright?" Gibbs almost choked.

"Yeah… you're not yelling."

Tony saw that almost grin again, and it looked like Gibbs was about to say something meaningful before he covered it with a scowl.

"Tony okay?" Kate's voice came from somewhere over his head.

Gibbs was studying him, the soft worried look in his eyes. "Ambulance Kate."

"Boss, no I'm fine, just a flesh wound." The giggle that followed up his comment didn't help his credibility.

Tony stared at the faces floating above his. Gibbs looked pissed and Tony thought he could see something else… something not quite right…pity he eventually settled on and Kate had the same look. Tony decided that if he wanted to be taken seriously he would need to stand up and be brave. Bracing his arms underneath his body Tony pushed off from the ground and actually made it to his feet before he started to wobble. Gibbs had hands on him instantly and Tony wasn't so self confident that he was going to shrug off the help. He let Gibbs walk him over to their Sedan. Gibbs opened the back door and sat him down in the back seat. Popping the trunk he disappeared out of Tony's line of sight, but reappeared quickly, a green first aid box in his hands. Tony reached out for the alcohol wipes, but Gibbs smacked the back of his hand.

"Keep yourself still." Gibbs ordered and proceeded to clean the blood from his neck. "It looks deep... how you feeling DiNozzo?"

"Ready to go boss." Tony cheered, falling short at the end of his proclamation.

"Want to tell me happened?" Gibbs picked another wipe and tossed the used one to the ground.

Tony breathed out and chuckled, "Well after we escaped the prison transport we ran-"

"Skip to the end Tony." Gibbs stuck down a large gauze pad with medical tape. A small amount of blood seeped through, but didn't soak it.

"The end?"

Gibbs stood from his crouch and ducked around to the trunk again, returning with a clean blue t-shirt. "In the car…" he pointed to the blood covered vehicle.

Tony, blood stained coat removed and handed over for evidence, shrugged on the offered tee and blanched. He desperately wanted to chuck up.

"I shot him… he …" Tony took a deep breath, willing the nausea to abate so he could continue and not get puke on his boss's shoes.

"Ambulance is here!" Kate shouted out from somewhere across the lot.

Tony wondered if she had been watching him. He looked up and caught Gibbs giving Kate a nod and mouthing something, but his vision was blurring for some reason and he missed what was actually said.

He looked away briefly and when he turned back Tony found a tissue thrust under his nose. "What's that for?"

When he didn't take the tissue Gibbs knelt in front of him and held his head steady, before Tony could pull away Gibbs was wiping the tissue over his eyes. Tony blinked and found he could see clearly again.

"We'll talk later," Gibbs stood and spoke to a stranger wearing a green uniform, "he's all yours."


	2. Chapter 2

"How's Tony doing?" Kate asked as Gibbs approached.

If the grim set of his jaw didn't communicate enough then he didn't have an answer for her.

Kate let the camera she'd being holding drop to her chest. "Have you spoken to him?"

"Focus on the scene Kate," Gibbs grabbed a couple more evidence bags from her bag and snapped on a pair of gloves.

"Gibbs it's okay that you're worried about him, looking at the state of this car I'm worried too-"

"Kate!"

"Photograph the scene, yes Gibbs." Kate took hold of the camera again and started clicking.

Gibbs watched every shot with a permanent scowl. He marked the position of each piece of evidence as she captured it and then he bagged and tagged. When it came to retrieving the knife he hesitated, knowing the blood that coated the blade was going to be Tony's. He carefully leaned over the body and plucked the sharp weapon off the back seat, dropping it into the evidence bag as quickly as possible.

"Are you interfering with my body Jethro?" Ducky said, announcing his presence.

Gibbs stood back and to the side, allowing Ducky a look at the body of Jeffery white. "Wouldn't dream of it Duck."

Ducky poked his head in the car and back out again, looking at Gibbs he asked, "Tony do this?" Gibbs nodded grimly, "well is he alright?"

Gibbs avoided eye contact. "A cut to his neck, I haven't got the details yet."

"Well go be with him Jethro, I'm sure Kate and I can take things from here…"

Gibbs shook his head, indicating the scene, "he's with the paramedics-"

"Jethro! Go be with the boy, if what I'm thinking you're thinking, happened here, then he'll need more than a stranger with a band aid." Ducky's stern tone had Kate looking over at them.

"Everything okay?"

Gibbs huffed and turned away, breaking the stare off with Ducky. "I'm taking DiNozzo back to the Navy yard. You finish up here and hitch a ride back with Ducky."

Gibbs stormed away before either of them could say anything more. Kate had been pushing him to admit his concern since Tony went AWOL, he didn't need Ducky joining in now Tony was actually hurt. Tony was relatively fine, he was safe and he was alive. It was a better outcome than he had been imagining since Kate had found Lanes body near the cabin, plus they had their bad guys in the way Gibbs liked best. Dead.

"He done?" Gibbs asked the approaching paramedic.

"He's okay, blood pressures a little high," the paramedic hefted his bag, "checked out the cut on his neck and put some strips on it but he'll need stitches," he shrugged, "want us to take him in?"

Gibbs glanced over the paramedics shoulder to see Tony looking sad and knew without a doubt he couldn't do it to him. "No, we'll take him," the paramedic nodded his assent and was about to walk away when Gibbs' hand on his shoulder halted him, "you sure he's okay?"

"Physically, sure… close call I'm guessing?"

"Something like that…" Gibbs said as he shouldered past him.

"Boss?" Tony looked up when he saw Gibbs walking over, "They said I need stitches!" The indignation in Tony's voice gave Gibbs hope that all would be well with his young agent, "Ducky can do that right? I mean I'm fine to go but they're probably going to take me to the local hospital and that means one hell of a cab ride back home-"

"With me DiNozzo," Gibbs moved around the Sedan to the driver's side.

"You're taking me-"

"Back to the Navy Yard," Gibbs clarified, allowing Tony time to get in and close the door. "Ducky will look at you when he gets back."

"Best news I've heard all day." He heard Tony mutter.

Pulling out of the crime scene Gibbs flashed his badge and the Leo let him pass, they were barely on the road when Tony opened his mouth.

"Boss about earlier…"

Gibbs waited but nothing more was forthcoming, "Yes?"

"Sorry… I thought… you know usually I when I speak without being asked you interrupt me and tell me to shut up or something."

Gibbs gave him a soft smile, "I said we'd talk later. Now is later."

"Ye-ah. But I thought that meant later… you know… as in never." Tony laughed nervously. "You're Gibbs!"

"I say things I don't mean?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him, attention briefly taken off the road.

"No." Tony instantly revoked. "Just… well, you don't talk… much…"

"I talk when it's important." Gibbs clarified, looking him in the eye. "And I always listen."

"Does that make us polar opposites then?" Tony smiled brightly.

Gibbs really wanted to laugh, but held it in, spotting his moment he asked, "What happened in the car Tony?"

"Nothing…" Tony replied quickly and looked away, "I mean…"

"You said you shot White."

"Yeah… I did."

"So how'd that happen?"

Like the last time he'd asked the question, Tony flushed, eyes glistening with unshed tears, only this time he could see Tony wasn't so dazed as not to notice what he was doing.

"Tony-"

Tony angrily swiped his eyes clear with shaky hands. "We pulled up and I knew we were out of time. The buyer had arrived, there was no Lane…"

"You guessed he'd killed him?"

"Was I right?" Tony looked to Gibbs.

"You were." Gibbs assured.

There was silence for at least a minute and Gibbs' gut told him he was about to be told something he really didn't want to hear.

"Boss, you have to get that I had no idea you guys were nearby" Tony looked at him in earnest and Gibbs did his best to keep his expression passive, "or that you even knew the dropped calls were from me." Gibbs wanted to kick himself over that Probie mistake. "So when Jeffery handed me a gun, told me to watch his back… I… I identified myself, told him we could cut a deal-"

"You what?-" Gibbs gripped the steering wheel, only just keeping his hands to himself.

"He told me he'd suspected I was a cop! And that's when I asked about Lane…" Tony swiped at his face again, "He told me he was sorry, he had a grip on my neck, I had a loaded gun in my hands, he pulled my head back and I-"

"Shot the bastard." Gibbs was angrier than all hell. "He's killed before Tony, he'd have killed you."

"I figured…" Tony ducked and looked out the window. "…Eventually. I didn't want to believe it, I really did like him…"

Gibbs pulled the car over, crossing lanes and causing horns to be honked at them, bringing the car to a dead stop on the hard shoulder.

Gibbs undid his seat belt and turned in his seat looking Tony dead in the eye. "I like you more."

Tony perked up.

"Tell Kate I said that and you'll be on cold cases for a month."

Tony smiled gently, "of course not boss."

"Good boy," Gibbs lent over, tapped Tony's cheek and then lifted his chin, pointing across the street, "coffee."

Gibbs jumped out of the car and walked across the road towards the small coffee shop he'd spotted. Looking back over his shoulder he could see the stunned but not unhappy look on Tony's face and felt his gut unknott a little. Gibbs allowed himself a small satisfied grin, sighing out his pent up frustration and long held in worry. He'd be getting a lot done on his boat tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

They arrived back at the office and Gibbs took Tony with him to Abby while they waited for Ducky to return from the scene.

"Tony! I'm so glad you're okay… Gibbs was really worried about you, even before you went AWOL." Abby gave him a hug.

"Abs." Gibbs gave her the low warning.

"Don't try and hide it Bossman, you yelled at me!" Abby let Tony go and pointed at Gibbs.

"You yelled at Abby? Because of me?" Tony stood back and grinned. "I'm touched boss."

Gibbs' hand lifted as if to head slap and Tony braced himself. Instead the hand connected with the small of his back and pushed him towards Abby's office.

"Lie down DiNozzo I'll fetch you when Ducky gets back." Gibbs about faced and left the lab.

Tony dropped his wide smile when Abby stared at him. "What?"

"I'm just glad you're okay Tony, Gibbs wasn't the only one having a mini panic." Abby watched Tony crumple slightly; his eyes shone brightly, so she took two large steps over and hugged him again. "Next time I'm not taking no for an answer, next time subdural implantation!"

Tony breathed out some of the tension he was carrying. "It scares me that I know there will be a next time."

Abby let him go and pushed his tush in the direction of her futon. "Go, rest, relax, me and Bert are here to look after you."

Tony fell to his knees and curled up on the futon under Abby's desk falling to sleep the second his head hit the pillow. Every fibre of his body ached and not just his neck where Jeffery had cut him. His legs, his head, and even his butt ached. To add insult to injury he hadn't slept at all while undercover. The night spent in Lane's cabin he hadn't dared to sleep, at the time thinking that Lane was the dangerous one. He hadn't got much sleep the night before either, preparing for the assignment had him up most of the night with Abby and McGee, so by the time he'd gotten to leave he'd been too excited to sleep.

"You look like crap Tony."

"Thanks Kate, but it adds more to my desperate criminal persona don't cha think?" Tony gave her a false smile and dumped his bag behind his chair.

"You ready for this DiNozzo?" Gibbs stormed into the bull pen, heading for his desk.

"Of course Boss!"

Gibbs threw an orange jump suit at him, "Put it on and be ready to go in ten."

"Not really my colour, got anything in a green? You know, would go so much better with my eyes-"

Gibbs head slapped him in on his way back out, climbing the stairs up to MTAC. McGee and Kate both laughed.

"Kate, get ready. McGee go check Abby's all set." Gibbs shouted as he climbed the stairs. "DiNozzo-"

"On it boss." Tony shouted back and ran off with his costume before anyone could say or do anything to upset his fragile ego any further.

He had been volunteered for the undercover assignment by Director Morrow. Kate had joked that he was only chosen because there was no way anyone would peg McGee for a nefarious criminal and the only reason she was looked over was because she was a woman. Gibbs had remained silent on the issue, as in he hadn't questioned or argued or anything. The simple quiet acceptance was a little perturbing and Tony wanted to believe Gibbs' silence was him showing confidence in his abilities, but then he hadn't supported him much either and Tony wasn't sure how to take that.

As Tony entered the locker room and changed into his orange prison jumpsuit he flashed back to a couple of months ago when he'd been kidnapped by the barmaid and imprisoned in the sewers with a juicy corpse and a very sorry marine. The memory made him wince now, but he'd been tired and scared and coming down off one hell of adrenalin high when he'd asked Gibbs, in front of Kate no less, to say he cared about him.

Nodding at his reflection Tony convinced himself that Gibbs knew he was capable and there was nothing more to say. He'd screwed up when he'd been charged with tailing Sako, but this time he would be better. He left the locker room with a smile and headed to find Gibbs and catch his ride to prison.


	4. Chapter 4

Gibbs returned to Abby's lab over an hour later, he'd debriefed with Morrow and had had a chance to grab a coffee before Ducky rang to inform him he was a few minutes out and to have Tony waiting in autopsy ready to have his neck wound stitched. Gibbs nearly sent McGee to wake him, but his gut was telling him that he'd promised Tony he would be back and didn't want to break that promise, no matter how small and inconsequential it seemed to be.

'He still here Abs?' Gibbs signed.

Abby took off her head phones, "Where else would he be? Not like I'm going to let him get lost a second time today."

"Well it is DiNozzo." Gibbs said as he walked on through.

"True. But even so, he and Bert have been sleeping like babies." Abby said bouncing behind him.

Gibbs looked in on Tony and saw he was laying curled up on his side, fitting himself onto the small futon, Bert the hippo was placed comfortably under one arm and snuggled tight to his chest. Gibbs turned around and glared at Abby.

"Please don't tell him." Abby begged with a smile.

"You did that?" Gibbs pointed at the hippo.

Abby looked sheepish, "well major mass spec was taking his time with the analysis and when I went to check on him he was restless Gibbs! I honestly thought it would help." Abby got a mischievous twinkle in her eye and pulled a folded piece of card from behind her back, "even got a shot to use on the Christmas card this year."

Gibbs gave her and the photo a look before he signed, 'when he finds out, you're on your own.'

Abby replied, 'but he looks so cute'

Gibbs, grinning, shook his head and moved on. "What ya got Abs?"

Instantly dropping the sappy look Abby walked back over to her computer. "I have, as you know, prints connecting Lane Harrison and likely soon to be Jeffery White to several unsolved murders. And now I'm just waiting for Kate to bring me evidence from the scene so I can cross match and ta da!"

"Good job Abs." Gibbs took a step towards Tony when Abby called him back.

"Hey why do I have to wait for Kate? Why didn't you bring the evidence with you when you brought Tony earlier?"

Gibbs stopped in the door way between the lab and office. "I left Kate in charge. Her and Ducky were still processing the scene." He said looking uncomfortable.

"Whoa, wait a minute." Abby approached him, palms out. "YOU left a crime scene early. You left Kate and brought Tony back and… ah Gibbs that's so sweet."

Gibbs was going to kill DiNozzo was for damaging his hard-ass reputation. He walked away without comment and bent down as low as his knees would allow shaking Tony's shoulder. "DiNozzo, time to get up, Ducky's expecting you."

The small shake got no response. Abby appeared over his shoulder, "Gibbs?"

"Tony, move your butt." Gibbs shook him harder.

"Gibbs!"

"What Abby?" He asked in aspiration.

"Look," Abby said pointing at Tony's neck.

Gibbs lent over him and saw the fresh wet red stain on the floor. Hand pressed to Tony's warm cheek Gibbs moved his head and they both got a look at the gauze pad that had been applied at the scene, it was caked in blood and no longer covered the wound, a copious amount of blood was soaking the pillow and covers "Crap, pass me something will ya."

Abby immediately handed Gibbs a wad of the sterile cloths she used for handling evidence sometimes and he pressed them to Tony's still bleeding neck. Gibbs swiftly pulled Tony's right arm around his shoulders and eased his own arm around Tony's back, lifting him into a sitting position, then hooking his free arm under Tony's legs Gibbs stood, carrying Tony with him.

"Elevator Abs." Gibbs struggled out of the lab as fast as he could with Tony's dead weight in his arms.

Abby didn't need to be told twice, pressing the button frantically until the doors opened she helped him hold Tony steady on the ride down and then into autopsy where Gibbs dropped him onto one of the steel tables.

"You've got to lay off the donuts Tony," He grunted catching his breath.

"Jethro, you're bleeding, what happened?" Ducky said, taking them both by surprise as he walked in, still wearing his coat and crime scene overalls.

Gibbs looked at the blood covering his shirt as he answered, "Not mine, we can't wake him." He indicated Tony, lying haphazardly on the autopsy table behind him.

"Oh my, Abby dear fetch me my bag." Ducky said with a sense of urgency. Ducky pulled an emergency blanket out of a nearby first aid kit and wrapped it around him with Gibbs' assistance.

"He's going to be alright isn't he?" Abby ran back with the bag and stood next to Gibbs as Ducky lifted Tony's eyelids one at a time checking for a reaction.

"Hypovolemic shock can be very serious, though his pulse is still strong if a bit fast." Ducky pulled out a blood pressure cuff and pumped it up, reading the numbers as he let it release. "Blood pressures high, he's definitely not looking too colourful either."

"Gibbs he should have gone to hospital, you should have made him go."

"Abigail, please calm down." Ducky finished his examine by taking Tony's temperature. "While always a possibility with cuts, even I would have said that the chance of him losing so much blood was remote."

Gibbs looked at Ducky with a serious thin lipped expression. "Why can't we wake him?"

"Unconsciousness is a symptom of excessive blood loss, but even though he is showing signs of hypovolemic shock his pulse is still strong. The best thing to do is close the wound and stop further bleeding, his condition should then improve quickly. If we wait for an ambulance I'm afraid that's putting him at further risk of developing sever shock."

"Do it." Gibbs ordered, staring at Tony's body, looking pale and lifeless on the autopsy table. It was not a welcome image, but without looking away he ordered Abby to the bullpen to update Kate and McGee. "I should have driven him to the hospital."

"Jethro don't make me treat you like one of your junior agents." Ducky had already begun to sow.

Gibbs gave an involuntary wince at that. "When it comes to DiNozzo Duck…"

"I have noticed that he has a penchant for finding trouble… much like another young agent I once knew…"

"You've told me this one," Gibbs moved around the table so he stood in front of Tony and was facing Ducky.

"It bears repeating." Ducky commented without looking away from the sterile pad he was now placing on Tony's neck. "When you first introduced him to me you know what I thought?"

Gibbs smiled fondly, "that I had finally lost my mind?"

Ducky finished with Tony and looked up, pointing at him with one blood covered finger, "that you had met your match."


	5. Chapter 5

"Boss?" Tony's first word came out quiet and broken.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs leaned down to be eye level with him, "how you feeling?"

"Weird?" Tony replied hesitantly.

"That a question?"

"Why am I in autopsy?"

The last memory Tony had was of lying down in Abby's lab and dreaming about everything that had happened in the last 48 hours, but now he had a view of the steel cabinet doors in autopsy and Gibbs was as close to him as Jeffery had been back in Lane's cabin. He wanted to freak out a little.

Tony realised that Gibbs must have seen that in him because in a very un-Gibbs like manner he first saw, then felt his boss's hand settle in his hair and stay there, moving gently in small concentric circles.

"Am I dying?" Tony gulped.

"No my dear boy." Ducky responded first, tapping his arm and helping Gibbs hoist him into a sitting upright position, the silver blanket falling into a heap on the floor. "I've just stitched up your cut."

Tony swung his legs around and let them hang off the side of the table. He was now sat on the edge, Gibbs standing over him.

"So how did I end up in autopsy?"

Ducky moved around the table and stood next to Gibbs, Tony felt very much on display for some reason and didn't like the long silence one bit.

"You seem to have suffered from some degree of blood loss," Tony noticed the blood coating Gibbs shirt and then looked at the matching stain on his own tee. "I wreck your shirt boss?"

"I've got another one."

"Tony, I stitched you up so it shouldn't happen again but please take it easy, you'll probably still suffer some ill effects until your body regains some of what it's lost."

"Like?"

"Well, anxiety and confusion are common symptoms."

"Check and check." Tony agreed with a nervous laugh, "Got those covered… anything else?"

"You've had a mild case of hypovolemic shock Anthony, you need rest, keep your legs elevated and keep warm. Hopefully that'll be enough and you won't need to go to hospital for an IV."

"I can do that." He nodded.

"I thought you could." Ducky smiled. "Gibbs why don't you take young Anthony somewhere more comfortable, these tables were not made to improve anyone's health."

Tony couldn't agree more. With Gibbs' help he slid off the table and once steady on his feet headed slowly for the exit.

"He'll be fine Jethro," Ducky said in response to the look, "Just make sure you keep an eye on him, he's not out of the woods yet."

Gibbs nodded briefly before catching up with Tony at the elevators.

"Abby's lab boss?" Tony's fingers hovered over the button.

"No," Gibbs knocked Tony's hand out of the way and pressed the button for the squad room.

They rode up in silence, but Tony's mind was still a little unfocused to make much of a conversation anyway. It was like he wanted to say something but couldn't think of the right words to use. The elevator came to a sudden stop and they exited together as soon as the doors opened.

"Tony? You okay?" Kate spoke up as soon as she saw them, "Abby was just here…"

Gibbs grabbed a chair from behind the empty desk at the end of the bull pen and put it next to Tony's desk. Tony stood watching, he didn't answer Kate, and was startled when Gibbs grabbed him by the wrist, pushed him down onto his own chair and lifted his feet onto the other. Gibbs then returned to his own desk, ignoring the querying looks from McGee and removed several items out of his draw, one being Tony's phone. He threw it at Tony which he caught clumsily.

"Boss?"

"I don't want to hear the noise on that thing." With that said Gibbs sat down at his desk and got to work, McGee and Kate deciding to remain silent and follow his lead.

Tony smiled, catching on, "sure thing boss." Tony flipped open his phone and started what he considered was going to be a marathon game of Tetris.


	6. Chapter 6

Kate put the finishing touches to her report and clicked print. "So Tony, do you think you'll have a scar?"

Tony looked up from his game, "Ducky never said, but that would be kind of cool-"

"Oh please, DiNozzo, battle scars are not attractive."

"I bet you twenty bucks I can name at least ten films- damn!" He glared at Kate, "I was close to breaking my record!"

Kate groaned, irritated with his normalcy. "You do realise how worried we were for you?" She snapped, "even Gibbs?"

"Yes!" Tony sighed, "Even Gibbs, I get it. People are delighted to tell me-"

"Tell you what?" Gibbs said walking through the bull pen at speed.

"Tell me… how glad they are I survived a serial killer…"

"Well of course they are DiNozzo." Gibbs bent down and rifled through his desk again.

'See!' Kate mouthed.

'What?' Tony mouthed back.

"Reports!" Gibbs' barked.

Tim and Kate jumped, Tony slumped in his seat and restarted his game.

"Err, on your desk boss." Tim responded nervously.

Kate stood, picking hers up from the printer and handed it over.

"DiNozzo!"

This time the shout had Tony falling off his chair, catching himself before his butt hit the floor Tony covered quickly, "Boss?"

"Grab your gear." Gibbs switched off his computer and desk light.

"A case?" Kate asked.

Tim was still too new to outright question anything settled for staring, waiting for one of the others to take the lead, then he'd follow them.

"No… home. Pack up it's been a long day." Gibbs looked up to see his agents staring, "all of you, now!"

"Yes Gibbs," Kate replied, quickly turning things off and grabbing her purse.

Tim waited for Tony's 'on it boss' before proceeding to do the same himself. They all made their way to the elevators, Gibbs hanging back when he noticed Tony had stood but looked set to drop again.

"Dizzy?" Gibbs asked.

"A little light headed, I'll be fine." Tony blinked a few times to clear the spots from his eyes.

"Come on, you're with me." Gibbs said casually.

"I am?" Gibbs glared at him as they joined McGee and Kate in the elevator. "On your six boss." Tony said as the doors closed.


	7. Chapter 7

Gibbs was sanding in his basement when Tony slowly made his way down the stairs and settled himself on the bottom step.

"Feel any better?"

"A little," he spoke shyly, he was really tired. "Thanks for the loan." Tony pulled the NIS sweater he was wearing.

Tony's hair was still wet from the shower. Washing away the dried blood and sweat from being 'on the run' made it easier for him to relax and reconnect with himself. Unfortunately it also gave him time think about the last couple of days. He had been so confident before he'd left that this assignment wasn't going to end up like the Atlas case. Right now Tony really couldn't see much of a difference.

"You okay DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Sure why wouldn't I be?"

Gibbs dropped the chisel he'd been holding and turned to glare at him. Tony managed to maintain eye contact for nearly a whole 30 seconds before guilt forced him to turn away.

"You did good."

"Really?" Tony winced at the desperation in his tone. "Forgive me boss, but I don't consider nearly getting my throat cut as a roaring success."

Tony couldn't describe the look Gibbs was giving him right now, and that said a lot because he thought he knew every one of Gibbs' glares.

Tony shook his head and cleared it of all thoughts, "same boat?"

"Same boat." Gibbs agreed, turning back to the work table and resuming what he was doing.

"You nearly finished? Or do you just keep building and unbuilding?"

"Unbuilding?"

"It's a word." Tony defended. "Could be a word." He muttered. "So what now?" He added some levity into his tone.

Gibbs looked at him over his glasses as he worked on a particularly fiddly bit. "Rest. You still look like crap."

"I think the correct term is 'shocky' boss."

"Indeed it is Anthony." Ducky's distinctive voice travelled from the top of the basement stairs.

"You brought me dinner Ducky?" Tony sniffed the air not believing it to be true.

"Against my better judgement." Ducky walked down the stairs, passed Tony and handed over the flat square box.

"You brought me pizza!" Tony ripped off the lid and took a slice.

"Easy Anthony, Jethro told me you've managed to keep everything down so far, doesn't mean you can swallow an entire slice." Ducky walked over to Gibbs and chuckled, "on your head if he throws that back up."

Gibbs smiled with knowing acceptance, "drink Duck?"

"Don't mind if I do, thank you Jethro."

Gibbs emptied the usual jar and gave it a quick clean with a rag before filling it and his own glass with a shot of bourbon.

Pizza eaten to the best of his abilities, which turned out to be a pathetic two slices, Tony remained on the stairs of the basement for as long as he was allowed. Ducky and Gibbs drank, but as soon as they noticed him and his eyelids sliding south he was ordered to lie down upstairs.


	8. Chapter 8

"So how has he been?" Ducky asked once Tony had left and he'd heard the basement door close.

Gibbs thought for a second before answering carefully, "quiet."

"Well that's worrisome." Duck took a long sip of his drink. "What are you going to do?"

"Why do I have to do anything?"

"Well why bring him to your home if you didn't want to help him?"

"He needed someone to keep an eye on him Duck, I don't think his girlfriend of the moment would have taken the job too seriously do you?"

"Jethro, it is okay to care about him." Ducky smiled, "I know to do your job you can't coddle him, but that doesn't mean you have to deny any feelings you have for the lad."

Gibbs shook his head and continued to work on the small piece of wood. "I'm not denying anything."

"All I'm saying is we are very lucky he wasn't more seriously injury today."

"Yeah," Gibbs sighed, "don't I know it." He threw down the chisel he'd been using and grabbed another drink.

"Well yes," Ducky drained the last of his bourbon and stepped off the stool, "he is just like you after all-"

"What's that supposed to mean anyway?" Gibbs cleared his work table and locked up his tools, making his way towards the stairs.

"Exactly what I said. Though he may talk a lot, with Anthony it is quality over quantity that makes the difference." Ducky said as he followed Gibbs up the stairs.

"Duck, where do you get this stuff?"

A noise from the living room alerted them to their audience.

"Thank you for the drink Jethro," Ducky called out, "do call if you need anything..."

Gibbs smiled cunningly, handing Ducky his coat and saw him to the door.

Ducky paused on the doorstep and looked at him seriously, "Just be here for him Jethro, let him know it's okay to let his guard down and make him feel safe," he instructed quietly. "He'll be back to the Tony you know and love in no time."


	9. Chapter 9

Tony had settled himself on the couch and was staring at the ceiling, feeling very suddenly wide awake. He guessed it was a good sign, at least he knew he wouldn't be going to sleep only to find he can't wake up again, although, that could be the cause of this bout of insomnia. Hearing voices approaching Tony quickly shut his eyes and faked sleep. Strangely for him, he really didn't want any more attention tonight.

"Thank you for the drink Jethro," Ducky walked to the door, "do call if you need anything and…"

Tony could hear whispering, his curiosity getting the better of him as always he leaned up and tried to listen in, after all whispering meant a secret and he was the only other person there so it was a secret from him. Tony just had to know what it was they didn't want him to know.

As soon as he heard the door shut and Gibbs' footsteps Tony threw himself back on the couch and stilled, the footsteps came closer… and closer… Tony risked opening one eye a slit.

"Why are you pretending to sleep?"

"False of habit." Tony deadpanned, seeing Gibbs' face hovering inches from his own. "You know that's the second time today I've woken up far too close to another man."

Gibbs chuckled and stood straight. "I don't want to know DiNozzo."

Tony sat himself up and pushed back the blanket he'd retrieved from the closet. Gibbs sat down in the chair opposite the couch, bourbon glass still in hand. Tony examined it.

"You can't have one."

"Beer?" He asked hopefully.

"No."

"This isn't very fun you no boss, when I tell McGee and Kate about this sleep over I'm going to have to invent some strippers or something."

Gibbs ignored him. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Not tired?" Tony sighed at the glare, he thought it was a weak excuse too, "I'm tired, just can't sleep."

Gibbs appeared to think on that for a while. "You afraid to sleep Tony?"

Tony laughed nervously, "No, no of course not. Why… no... I'm fine… could sleep right now actually."

Gibbs nodded and stood up without another word. Tony started to mentally kick himself, looking stupid in front of his boss was not on his to do list today, it had to be the blood loss. Everything could be blamed on blood loss.

"Here." Gibbs returned and dumped a narrow dusty box on the coffee table. "Think you can make that work?"

Tony frowned and looked at it. "Boss this is a DVD player."

"Yeah, these came with it." Gibbs threw a stack of cellophane wrapped DVDs on top of it, sending dust flying. "What?"

Tony reined in his surprise as much as he could, he so wanted to ask, but… his boss was being nice to him and he kind of liked it, despite the weirdness, it made him feel a little less crappy and he didn't want to burst the bubble that was holding him together tonight. Under different circumstances he might not agree, but right now normal behaviour clearly wasn't working for him so different was worth a try.

"Can you hook it up or what?"

"I think I can manage it." Tony nodded smiling gently.

"Come on then, you know the only TV is in the basement." Gibbs grabbed the box and took it down stairs.

Tony picked up the blanket along with the white uncased pillow and followed.

Fin.


End file.
